Circular letter from William Pitt, Earl of Chatham to the governors of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina

Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778

December 17,
1760

Volume 11, Pages 140-142

[B. P. R. O. Am: & W. Ind: Vol: 77.]

Circular Letter.

Whitehall Dec: 17th 1760.

Sir,

His Majesty having nothing so much at heart as by the most vigorous Prosecution of the War to reduce the Enemy to the necessity of accepting a Peace on Terms of Glory and advantage to His Majesty's Crown and beneficial in particular to His Subjects in America and as nothing can so effectually contribute to that Great and essential Object as the King's being enabled to employ as immediately as may be such part of the regular Forces in North America as may be adequate to some great and important Enterprize against the Enemy I am commanded to signify to you the King's Pleasure that in order the better to provide for the full and entire Security of His Majesty's Dominions in North America and particularly of the Possession of His Majesty's Conquests there during the absence of such part of the regular Forces you do forthwith use your utmost endeavours and Influence with the Council and Assembly of your Province to induce them to raise with all possible Dispatch within your Government as large a Body of Men as the Number of its Inhabitants may allow (your Province having hitherto been extremely wanting to the King's service in this respect) and forming the same into Regiments as far as shall be found convenient that you do direct them to hold themselves in readiness and particularly as much earlier than former years as may be to march to such place or places in North America as His Majesty's Commander in Chief there or the Officer who shall be appointed to command the King's Forces in those Parts shall appoint in order to be employed there under the supreme Command of His Majesty's said Commander in Chief or of the Officer to be appointed as above in such manner as from the circumstances

-------------------- page 141
--------------------

and situation of the Enemy's Posts and the state and disposition of the Indian Nations on that side he may judge most conducive for the King's service and the better to facilitate this important service the King is pleased to leave it to you to issue Commissions to such Gentlemen in your Province as you shall judge from their Weight and Credit with the people and their Zeal for the Publick Service may be best disposed and enabled to quicken and effectuate the speedy levying of the greatest number of Men: In the disposition of which Commissions I am persuaded you will have nothing in view but the Good of the King's Service and a due subordination of the whole to His Majesty's Commander and all Officers of the Provincial Forces as high as Colonels inclusive, are to have Rank according to their several respective Commissions agreeable to the regulations contained in His late Mjesty's Warrant of the 30th of Dec: 1757. which is renewed by His present Majesty.

The King is further pleased to furnish all the Men so raised as above with Arms Ammunition and Tents as well as to order Provisions to be issued to the same by His Majesty's Commissaries in the same proportion and manner as is done to the rest of the King's Forces: The whole therefore that the King expects and requires from the several Provinces is, the levying cloathing and pay of the Men and on these Heads also that no encouragement may be wanting to the fullest exertion of your Forces: His Majesty is further most graciously pleased to permit me to acquaint you that strong recommendations will be made to Parliament in their Session next year to grant a proper compensation for such expences as above according as the active vigour and strenuous Efforts of the respective Provinces shall justly appear to merit.

It is His Majesty's Pleasure that you do with particular diligence immediately collect and put into the best condition all the arms issued last campaign which can be anyways rendered serviceable or that can be found within your Government in order that the same may be employed for His Majesty's Service.

I am further to inform you that similar Orders are sent by this conveyance to Maryland Virginia North Carolina and South Carolina. The Northern Governments are also directed to raise Men in the same manner to be employed as His Majesty's Commander in Chief shall judge most conducive for the King's service in North America.

-------------------- page 142
--------------------

It is unnecessary to add anything to animate your Zeal in the Execution of His Majesty's Orders in this important injuncture which is finally to fix the future safety and Welfare of America and of your own Province in particular and the King doubts not from your known Fidelity and Attachment that you will employ yourself with the utmost application and Dispatch in this promising and decisive crisis.